Is the iPhone 17 Pro with aluminum frame really a downgrade compared to titanium?

Apple applied titanium alloy to the iPhone frame for the first time in 2023 with the iPhone 15 Pro to differentiate it from the cheaper aluminum frame.

The iPhone maker continued to use a titanium frame on the iPhone 16 Pro last year, but a new report from Bloomberg claims that Apple will no longer use titanium for the iPhone 17 Pro frame, instead returning to an aluminum frame.

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PHOTO: APPLE

This downgrade has left many people surprised, even disappointed, when looking at the level of "luxury" of the titanium frame compared to aluminum. However, in reality, this decision can bring great benefits to Apple's smartphone lines in the future.

Why did Apple choose aluminum over titanium?

As a trillion-dollar company, Apple strives to deliver high-quality products through rigorous testing. However, with around 250 million products shipped each year, there is no process that can guarantee that every device will work perfectly out of the box.

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After implementing a titanium frame on the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple tweaked this design on the iPhone 16 Pro by using an aluminum mid-frame sandwiched between titanium rails to improve heat transfer. However, testing with this material didn't go as well as expected, forcing the company to return to aluminum for the iPhone 17 Pro (and iPhone 17 Pro Max).

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According to AppleInsider , aluminum is not only cheaper but also has a lower carbon footprint than titanium. In particular, aluminum has better thermal conductivity than both titanium and stainless steel, with thermal conductivity up to 33 times better than titanium. Without aluminum, the heat dissipation ability of the iPhone 17 Pro and 17 Pro Max may be affected, making the cooling system less effective.

All are just rumors so users still need official information revealed by Apple at the "Awe Dropping" event scheduled to be held at 0:00 a.m. on September 10 (Vietnam time).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/iphone-17-pro-voi-khung-nhom-co-thuc-su-ha-cap-so-voi-titan-185250908213831594.htm